Alexander Ludwig | |
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_(cropped).jpg) Ludwig in 2021 | |
| Born | Alexander Richard Ludwig (1992-05-07)May 7, 1992 (age 33) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Education | University of Southern California (dropped out) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Alexander Richard Ludwig (born May 7, 1992) is a Canadian actor andcountry musician. He first began his career as a child, and then received recognition as a teenager for starring in the filmsThe Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (2007),Race to Witch Mountain (2009) and he is also known for starring as Cato inThe Hunger Games (2012).
He is also known for his supporting roles as Shane Patton inLone Survivor (2013), Christopher "Chris" Ryan inWhen the Game Stands Tall (2014), Jameson inFinal Girl (2015), Dorn inBad Boys for Life (2020), Alex Singleton inHeart of Champions (2021), Sgt. Declan O'Brady inGuy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023),Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024) and Rome Archer inMarked Men: Rule + Shaw (2025). He starred as legendary VikingBjörn Ironside in theHistory Channel seriesVikings (2014–2020) and had a lead role in theStarz drama seriesHeels (2021–2023). As a musician, Ludwig released his debut albumHighway 99 viaBBR Music Group on August 26, 2022.[2]
Alexander Richard Ludwig[3] was born inVancouver,British Columbia, Canada, to Sharlene (née Martin), a former actress, and Harald Horst Ludwig, a businessman and former co-chair ofLionsgate Entertainment.[4][5][6] He has three younger siblings.[7] Ludwig was drawn to the profession, saying in an interview, "I have a big imagination. I love performing."[8]
Despite his mother's early career as an actress, Ludwig had to convince his parents to support his desire to pursue acting as a child.[5][8] His parents believed that child actors "can get sucked into a life that isn't reality." They prioritized education, and so he attended regular school while pursuing his acting dreams. "It was definitely challenging to juggle school while filming," he reflected in the same interview. "My school wasn't used to it, and I wasn't used to it. It was the most amazing experience, but it was really hard."[8] Ludwig studied at theUniversity of Southern California (but left before graduating), where he was in thePhi Kappa Psi fraternity.[9]
Ludwig began his career at the age of nine when he featured in a Harry Potter toy commercial, a job that enabled him to sign on with an agent and obtain more commercial work.[4] Later he was cast in movies such asAir Bud: World Pup (2000),MXP: Most Extreme Primate (2003),Scary Godmother: The Revenge of Jimmy (2005),Eve and the Fire Horse (2005),The Sandlot: Heading Home (2007).
In addition to cinema, Ludwig has also worked in television. He has performed in movies made for television, such asA Little Thing Called Murder (2006), and television series such asThe Dead Zone.[4] Ludwig obtained his leading role inThe Seeker: The Dark Is Rising (2007) after a "gruelling audition process."[7] By his count, he had 16 auditions before being cast.[10]Ludwig was inGrown Ups 2 with Adam Sandler.
Ludwig's next lead role came in the part of Seth – one half of a teenage, alien brother-sister duo – in the film production ofRace to Witch Mountain (2009), also starringDwayne Johnson. Seth is the part originated byIke Eisenmann in the 1975 original,Escape to Witch Mountain. The film opened at number one at the box office the weekend that it premiered, with receipts estimated at$25 million.[11][12] Despite his early casting success withThe Seeker, Ludwig indicated in an interview that it was his intention to attend university.[7] In another interview, the actor said that the most challenging thing about filmingThe Seeker was trying "to juggle school while filming." He stated: "My school wasn't used to it, and I wasn't used to it. It was the most amazing experience, but it was really hard."[8]
In the movie adaptation ofThe Hunger Games, Ludwig played Cato, the fierce male tribute from District 2, the primary threat to the protagonists' lives during the 74th Hunger Games. The film was released worldwide on March 23, 2012. Ludwig won the award for Best Fight on2012 MTV Movie Awards along withJennifer Lawrence andJosh Hutcherson, as well as the award for Best Villain at the2012 Teen Choice Awards.[13][14] Ludwig released his first single "Liv It Up (Teenage Wasteland)" on March 1, 2012.[15]
In 2013, he co-starred in the filmsLone Survivor andGrown Ups 2. In 2014, he became a part of the main cast of the popular TV seriesVikings, playing the character ofBjörn Ironside, the son of Ragnar Lothbrok and Lagertha. In 2015, he had the male lead in both the horror filmsFinal Girl andThe Final Girls, which are unrelated to each other. He played the pacifist hacker Dorn in 2020'sBad Boys for Life, and also appeared inThe Band Perry's music video for "Gentle on My Mind" alongsideTeen Wolf actressShelley Hennig.[citation needed]
Ludwig signed with the country music labelBBR Music Group/BMG in May 2021.[16] His self-titled EP was released on May 21, 2021.[17] On August 18, 2022, it was announced that Ludwig would appear inNicki Minaj's music video for her singleSuper Freaky Girl. On August 26, 2022, Ludwig released his debut albumHighway 99.[18]
Ludwig was a competitive freestyle skier, and has participated inskydiving.[19]In February 2019, Ludwig disclosed issues he experienced with depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and substance abuse starting at the age of 14.[20]
In 2020, he married Lauren Dear.[21] After suffering three miscarriages,[22] Dear gave birth to their first child, a daughter, on April 27, 2023.[23] They had a second child, a son, on June 12, 2024.[24]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Air Bud: World Pup | Actor | Uncredited |
| 2004 | MXP: Most Xtreme Primate | Child | Direct-to-video |
| 2005 | Scary Godmother: The Revenge of Jimmy | Jimmy | Voice |
| Eve and the Fire Horse | Kevin | Uncredited | |
| 2006 | A Little Thing Called Murder | Young Kenny Kimes | |
| 2007 | The Sandlot: Heading Home | E.J. Needman | Direct-to-video |
| The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising | Will Stanton | ||
| 2009 | Race to Witch Mountain | Seth | |
| 2012 | The Hunger Games | Cato | |
| 2013 | Grown Ups 2 | Braden Higgins | |
| Lone Survivor | PO2 Shane Patton | ||
| 2014 | When the Game Stands Tall | Chris Ryan | |
| 2015 | Final Girl | Jameson | |
| The Final Girls | Chris Briggs | ||
| Blackway | Nate | ||
| 2019 | Midway | Lieutenant Roy Pearce | |
| Recon | Marson | ||
| 2020 | Bad Boys for Life | Dorn | |
| Operation Christmas Drop | Captain Andrew Jantz | ||
| 2021 | Night Teeth | Rocko | |
| Heart of Champions | Alex Singleton | ||
| National Champions | Emmett Sunday | ||
| 2023 | Guy Ritchie's The Covenant | Sgt. Declan O'Brady | |
| 2024 | Bad Boys: Ride or Die | Dorn | |
| 2025 | Marked Men: Rule + Shaw | Rome Archer | |
| TBA | Killing Castro | TBA | Post-production |
| Shiver | TBA | Post-production | |
| Night Comes | TBA | Post-production | |
| What the Fuck Is My Password | TBA | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–2021 | Vikings | Björn Ironside | Main role (seasons 2–6) |
| 2017 | Swerve | Dr. Delucchi | Main role; 6 episodes |
| 2021–2023 | Heels | Ace Spade | Main role; 16 episodes |
| 2024 | Earth Abides | Isherwood "Ish" Williams | Main role; 6 episodes |
| TBA | The White Lotus | TBA | Main role (season 4)[25] |
| Year | Song | Role | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | "Gentle on My Mind" | Guy/Traveler | The Band Perry |
| 2022 | "Super Freaky Girl" | Ken | Nicki Minaj |
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Highway 99 |
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| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Alexander Ludwig |
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| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Country [26] | |||
| 2022 | "Let Me Be Your Whiskey" | 38 | Highway 99 |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | MTV Movie Awards | Best Fight(withJennifer Lawrence andJosh Hutcherson) | The Hunger Games | Won |
| Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie: Villain | Won | ||
| Choice Movie: Fight(with Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson) | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | Razzie Awards | Worst Screen Combo(with cast) | Grown Ups 2 | Nominated |
| 2015 | Golden Maple Awards | Best Actor in a TV series broadcast in the U.S[27] | Vikings | Nominated |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
